Urgent Action: INDIGENOUS RIGHTS ACTIVISTS REPORTED MISSING (Philippines: UA 50.23)

Indigenous Peoples’ rights defenders Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” de Jesus, from the Cordillera region in northern Philippines, have been missing since 28 April 2023, in a suspected enforced disappearance by state security forces. Their families received credible information that two individuals matching the missing activists’ description were forcibly taken in the area where they were last seen by unknown individuals identifying themselves as working for a police agency, but have not received neither a confirmation nor a denial from government security forces that such an operation indeed happened.

TAKE ACTION:

1. Please take action as-soon-as possible. This Urgent Action expires on July 12, 2023.
2. Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
3. Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 50.23. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

CONTACT INFORMATION

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SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Secretaries Galvez and Abalos,

I am writing to express grave concern over the disappearance of Indigenous Peoples’ rights defenders Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” de Jesus, who were reported missing for weeks now in a suspected case of enforced disappearances by state security forces. They were last seen in Taytay town, Rizal province, on 28 April. Their fate and whereabouts remain unknown. Their families have tried searching for them by visiting military and police facilities, but majority of these facilities have denied them assistance, including access, and a categorical declaration of whether or not the authorities have Capuyan and de Jesus in their custody, as the law requires.

I was distressed to learn from their families that they received information from witnesses that two men matching Capuyan’s and de Jesus’ description were forcibly taken by unknown individuals identifying themselves as working for a police agency, around the time and place where the two activists were last seen. The families have received neither a confirmation nor a denial from government security forces that such operation, whether official or not, indeed happened.

This is not the first time in the last year that human rights defenders and activists have been abducted; some were later released by individuals whom victims identified as connected with the government. Prior to their disappearance, these human rights defenders were relentlessly ‘red-tagged’ or accused by the government of being members of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army.

In line with your offices’ and the government’s international human rights obligations, I call on you to:
• Clarify the fate and whereabouts of Capuyan and de Jesus; ensure a prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigation into their disappearance, and allow and carry out diligent search of your facilities;
• Categorically state whether or not Capuyan and de Jesus are in government custody, alongside fulfilling the government’s other obligations under the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012; and
• Should they be detained by the government, immediately release Capuyan and de Jesus and ensure that those suspected to be responsible for their enforced disappearance are brought to justice in fair trials.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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